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PAPEETE, Tahiti (Tahitipresse, Aug. 3) - A large coalition of employers and employee unions on the board of directors of the Caisse de Prévoyance Sociale (CPS), French Polynesia’s social security and welfare office, announced on Monday they plan to go to court to contest the government’s handling of the agency’s direction.

Last Friday, French Polynesia President Oscar Temaru fired MaÃ¯ana Bambridge, the head of the CPS since 1997, and appointed Aline Sue as her interim replacement.

The CPS board coalition claimed that the two government decrees involved in the leadership change "were taken in total contraction to the CPS operation rules," according to a joint statement of board employer and union representatives.

"The contempt of the regulations and the non-respect of the CPS board of directors’ attributions demonstrated by the minister of social dialog is a sign of an unacceptable interference in the CPS."

Hofschneider last month was ordered to take a 15-day suspension over alleged insubordination. He obliged but the suspension was processed as administrative leave with pay

MPLA chairwoman Ana Demapan-Castro wrote Hofschneider a memorandum dated July 28 that his suspension is extended until such time that the Attorney General’s Office and the Finance Department have issued a legal opinion on the controversial land compensation drawdown, which was the cause of his suspension.

The embattled commissioner’s suspension should have ended on Monday.

"Until an official opinion is received from both agencies, your suspension must continue," Demapan-Castro told Hofschneider in the memo.

However, Demapan-Castro told Hofschneider he could be paid for his lost...

PORT VILA, Vanuatu (Vanuatu Daily Post, Aug. 3) - Minister for Ni Vanuatu Businesses Arnold Prasad from Greens has resigned and confirmed he has signed a Motion of No Confidence along with independent Member of Parliament for Tafea outer islands Thomas Nentu.

Prasad submitted his letter of resignation yesterday afternoon stating, "I was promised the Ministry of Agriculture, being one of the main areas of my expertise, and it needs a Minister who knows, lives and breathes every day in that environment and Santo Rural has been designed for that," he said. "Who better than a man Santo can really develop that? It needs decision-making. I am part of the steering committee of the Greens and we have decided that Roro Samo to take the position of Minister of Ni Vanuatu Business."

In an interview with the Daily Post, Prasad and Thomas Nentu advised that they had agreed to share the Ministry of Agriculture for two years each following a verbal...

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (The National, Aug. 3) - A senior government official is facing serious disciplinary charges for allowing false declarations by a teak exporting company.

The company, Prominence Holdings Ltd, is harvesting teak logs in Northern Province with the hope of exporting them as square-shaped logs while the forestry inspector is facing serious disciplinary charges over false declaration of 14 containers loaded with round logs as sawn timber.

Prominence Holdings, through its agent (a former policeman) in Lae, declared that the 14 containers were carrying sawn timber but upon inspection by customs officials, they were found to be laden with logs. Customs officers swooped in on the containers and impounded them on July 6, 2004.

Twelve of the 14 containers were loaded with round logs while two containers had debarked logs which were square-shape to pass as sawn timber.

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (The National, Aug. 3) - The Asian Development Bank-funded fishery facilities and office complex in Kavieng, Papua New Guinea, have remained unused after being completed four months ago, Member for Kavieng Martin Aini said yesterday.

Mr Aini said local fisherman have been asking why the facilities are not in operation.

Likewise, business operators are asking about the possibility of using the office complex.

Mr Aini also asked why operators who made submissions to the National Fisheries Authority in response to a tender for office space have not received a response from NFA.

"In early February the provincial administration hosted a delegation from Asian Development Bank; the delegation was impressed with the complex but the major concern was there was no activity on site … it was embarrassing for the provincial administration for being unable to advice the bank representatives as to why the complex...

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (PNG Post-Courier, August 3) - Bougainville will receive the first batch of 19 Australian Federal Police officers to be deployed under Australia’s K2 billion (US$622 million) Enhancement Cooperation program at the end of this month.

A high-powered AFP working committee will be in Port Moresby at the end of this week to meet with the Papua New Guinea police hierarchy to firm up the EPC provisions before the actual deployment starts.

Manager for the International Deployment Group of the Australian Federal Police Bill Quade, who will be leading the group to PNG this Sunday, told the Post-Courier from Canberra last Friday that they have identified the first police contingent to be deployed to PNG.

A meeting at the Australian Federal Police headquarters in Canberra also confirmed police officers assigned to PNG were undergoing intensive training throughout Australia in preparations for the deployment.

PORT MORESBY, Papua New Guinea (The National, Aug. 3) - About 6,000 oil palm growers in Papua New Guinea received almost K20 million (US$6.2 million) for their produce last year, according to figures just released.

Popondetta Oil Palm Growers Association (POPGA) chairman Clement Kerahu told The National over the weekend that the money was paid by Higaturu Oil Palm Company to growers, but he believed that the figure could be much higher if roads and infrastructure into oil palm growing areas were improved.

He said transport and cartage services of fruits also needed improvement and complained bitterly about the government's lack of interest in helping the growers.

"The governments talks a lot about export-driven economic recovery but it has failed to honor in its commitment to help us to do our part," said Mr Kerahu.

SAIPAN, CNMI (Saipan Tribune, Aug. 3) - Oil giant Mobil has shelved its jet fuel tank project at the Tinian International Airport due to the current lack of any aviation customers that would ensure business viability.

Mobil Oil Mariana Islands, Inc. president Jeff Borja said that the company has demonstrated its support for the project in the last two years, but said that no aviation customers have committed to purchasing fuel on Tinian.

The company issued the statement following the recent adoption of a resolution by the Association of Pacific Island Legislatures, which urged the oil firm to expedite the installation of the jet fuel tank.

The APIL is an association of lawmakers from 12 Pacific governments such as the CNMI, Guam, American Samoa, Chuuk, Kosrae, Pohnpei, Yap, Republican of the Marshall Islands, Republic of Palau, Hawaii, Republic of Nauru and Republic of Kiribati.

The APIL said the project would enhance air traffic using the Tinian airport...

PORT VILA, Vanuatu (Vanuatu Daily Post, Aug. 3) - The new government of Prime Minister Serge Vohor has threatened to declare a State of Emergency less than one week since gaining power in Vanuatu, following moves by unsatisfied backbenchers without portfolios to cross the floor to join the opposition.

"A Council of Ministers meeting had convened on Monday to consider the primary agendas of governing and was informed of suggested claims made by some leaders who are still trying to destabilize Vanuatu's new government," Prime Minister Vohor said in a written statement. "As Prime Minister it is my intention to continue with this new mandate of government and will not allow any leader or outside influence attempt in any way to destabilize the Vanuatu government's principle rules of forming a democratic government.

"We have gone through too much political instability and it is imperative that political leaders allow sometime for this government...

Pacific Islands Report is a nonprofit news publication of the Pacific Islands Development Program at the East-West Center in Honolulu, Hawai‘i. Offered as a free service to readers, PIR provides an edited digest of news, commentary and analysis from across the Pacific Islands region, Monday - Friday.